The instant invention relates to the detection and enunciation of hazardous conditions, and more particularly to the detection and enunciation of smoke, carbon monoxide, and fire in residential and commercial settings.
The improvement in reliability, decrease in cost and realization of the lifesaving benefits of commercial and consumer smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have resulted in an increased installation of these devices in homes and businesses. Many homes now include at least one and typically multiple smoke detectors located throughout the residence. Indeed, many state laws require that apartment dwellings include at least one smoke detector within an apartment for single floor plan apartments, and at least one per floor for multi level apartments. Further, many state laws also require that smoke detectors be installed in homes prior to their sale.
Additionally, many homes and apartments are also being equipped with separate carbon monoxide detectors. The increase in installation of these detectors is due in large part to the improved reliability of these detectors which have, for the most part, overcome the false triggering of early devices. This increased use is also due in part to the recognition of people in colder climates that central heating systems, wood burning stoves, and fireplaces are all potential sources of deadly carbon monoxide which, without a carbon monoxide sensor, would go undetected until it was too late. A majority of these carbon monoxide detectors are being installed in dwellings which also include a separate smoke detector.
In recognition of the fact that many residences install both carbon monoxide and smoke detectors within the dwelling, Underwriters Laboratory (UL) has issued an industry standard to distinguish these two alarms. This UL standard requires that a fire/smoke alarm shall sound three (3) beeps at a rate of 0.5 second on, 0.5 second off with a gap between these three beep patterns of 1.5 seconds. The UL standard for CO alarms is similar, to wit four beeps at a rate of 0.1 second on, 0.1 second off with a gap between these four beep patterns of five (5) seconds. Since UL has issued these patterns as an industry standard, detector manufacturers must utilize them for each type of detector they make in order to gain UL approval.
The importance of being able to distinguish these two alarm patterns becomes apparent when the preferred actions for each alarm are compared. Specifically, a resident whose smoke detector has triggered is encouraged to close doors and windows, call the fire department to indicate that a fire has been detected, and immediately leave the dwelling. However, a resident whose carbon monoxide detector has triggered is encouraged to open doors and windows to allow fresh air to enter the dwelling to displace the carbon monoxide gas, and leave the dwelling for a period of time to allow the carbon monoxide gas to escape the dwelling. Some carbon monoxide detector manufacturers also recommend contacting a heating and cooling expert to check and clean the furnace, or alternatively their local fire department to indicate that high levels of carbon monoxide have been detected within their dwelling. Clearly, the preferred actions to be taken upon the detection of these two conditions vastly differ, and may result in a life threatening condition should one be mistaken for the other.
While the benefits of having both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors installed within a dwelling far outweigh any problems associated therewith, problems which may become significant do exist. In addition to the above-described problem associated with the different courses of action to be pursued upon the detection of one of the two conditions, a similar situation may occur if both detectors trigger simultaneously. This situation may very well occur during an actual fire situation where the levels of smoke and carbon monoxide are typically high. In this situation, the sounding of both the carbon monoxide and the smoke detector alarms at the same time are most likely to cause confusion in the resident as to the cause and criticality of the situation. Precious seconds and minutes may be lost while the resident attempts to determine first what this new sound (the combination of the smoke and carbon monoxide detector alarms ringing simultaneously) is, and second, what action to take in response thereto. Therefore, this lack of coordination between the two alarm systems within the residence may lead to unnecessary confusion during a time of critical importance to the safety of the residents within the dwelling.
In view of the above-described problems existing within the art, and others not specifically elaborated herein, it is a primary object of the instant invention to overcome these problems. Specifically, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a coordinated alarm system which will allow the detection of potentially threatening conditions. It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a detection and alarm system which does not require that the user be able to distinguish separate alarm patterns in order to be informed as to the cause of the alarm. It is further an object of the instant invention to provide a detection and alarm system which will properly signal a resident in a straightforward manner to allow proper action to be taken to avoid injury from the type of situation detected. It is a further object of the instant invention to provide the detection and enunciation of multiple conditions which may occur individually or in combination without the associated problem of having multiple alarms being triggered simultaneously.
In view of these objects, it is a feature of the instant invention that both carbon monoxide and smoke may be detected individually or in combination. It is a further feature of the instant invention that the alarms generated by the detection of these conditions be audibly distinguishable one from another. It is a further feature of the instant invention that, in association with the distinctive alarm patterns, a synthesized human voice will provide warning and/or direction information for the residents of the dwelling. It is an additional feature of the instant invention that the distinctive alarm patterns and synthesized human voice will be interleaved in a fashion to alleviate confusion and foster proper response. It is a further feature of the instant invention that detection of both carbon monoxide and smoke will generate only a single alarm which is interleaved with a synthesized voice message providing an explanation of the probable cause of the alarm and/or direction as to the proper action to be taken.
In view of the above objects and features, it is an aspect of the instant invention that the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, the multi-tone or multi-pattern alarm, and the voice synthesizer be housed in a compact integrated unit for installation in the home or business. It is a further aspect of the instant invention that the integrated unit include control processing technology which allows for a coordination of the sensing, detection, alarm sounding, voice message generation, and interleaving thereof. It is a further aspect of the instant invention to allow for the voice synthesized message to be generated in multiple languages selectable by the user to further enhance its effectiveness.
A preferred embodiment of the apparatus for the detection and enunciation of hazardous conditions within an environment of the instant invention comprises at least a first and a second detection circuits positioned to sense ambient conditions within the environment. An alarm circuit is responsive to both of the detection circuits, and generates at least a first alarm pattern, and preferably a distinct alarm pattern for each detected condition. The apparatus also comprises a voice synthesizer circuit which generates at least a first voice message, and preferably a distinct alarm pattern for each detected condition. An interleaving control circuit is preferably coupled to the alarm circuit and to the voice synthesizer circuit, and causes an enunciation circuit to selectively broadcast at least the first alarm pattern and the first voice message.
In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, each triggering a distinct alarm pattern and warning voice message. Preferably, the alarm circuit also generates a third alarm pattern which is characteristic of the presence of both smoke and carbon monoxide. A preferred embodiment of the voice synthesizer circuit generates voice messages in multiple selectable languages.
A preferred method of the instant invention for the detection and enunciation of multiple hazardous condition within an environment is also presented, and comprises the steps of: (a) sensing ambient conditions within the environment to detect at least two hazardous condition; (b) generating an alarm pattern and a voice message in response to sensing the hazardous conditions; (c) interleaving the alarm pattern and the voice message; and (e) enunciating these interleaved alarm patterns and voice. The interleaving of the alarm pattern and voice messages is preferably performed by the steps of: (f) enabling enunciation of the alarm pattern for a first period of time; (g) disabling enunciation of the alarm pattern at the expiration of the first period of time; (h) enabling enunciation of the voice message at the expiration of the first period of time for a second period of time; and (i) disabling enunciation of the voice message at the expiration of the second period of time. These steps are repeated until a reset is received.
These and other aims, objectives, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.